Single port surgical robot and control method thereof

Abstract

A single port surgical robot capable of setting the location of a remote center motion (RCM) point, and a control method thereof includes: a first link connected to a body by a first joint in a direction perpendicular to the body, the first link having a linear structure; a second link connected to the upper end of the first link by a second joint, the second link having a curved structure; a third link connected to the upper end of the second link by a third joint, the third link having a cylindrical structure; a plurality of light-emitting units arranged on the lower end of the third link along the circumference of the third link, and configured to emit light toward a remote center motion (RCM) point; and a controller configured to adjust the location of the RCM point.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A single port surgical robot comprising:
 a first link connected to a body by a first joint in a direction perpendicular to the body, the first link having a linear structure;   a second link connected to an upper end of the first link by a second joint, the second link having a curved structure;   a third link connected to an upper end of the second link by a third joint, the third link having a cylindrical structure;   a plurality of light-emitting units arranged on a lower end of the third link along the circumference of the third link, and configured to emit light toward a remote center motion (RCM) point; and   a controller configured to adjust the location of the RCM point.   
     
     
         2 . The single port surgical robot according to  claim 1 , further comprising a manipulation unit,
 wherein the manipulation unit comprises a first manipulation unit configured to set a motion mode of a surgical instrument assembly connected to an upper part of the third link to a translation mode or a rotation mode, and a second manipulation unit configured to receive a command for translating the surgical instrument assembly or a command for rotating the surgical instrument assembly based on the RCM point.   
     
     
         3 . The single port surgical robot according to  claim 2 , wherein the second manipulation unit includes a force/torque (F/T) sensor for sensing a force applied by an operator, and the controller adjusts the location of the RCM point according to a command input through the second manipulation unit. 
     
     
         4 . The single port surgical robot according to  claim 2 , wherein the manipulation unit is separated from the single port surgical robot. 
     
     
         5 . The single port surgical robot according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light-emitting units emit different colors of light. 
     
     
         6 . The single port surgical robot according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of filters having different shapes of holes are provided in front of the respective light-emitting units. 
     
     
         7 . The single port surgical robot according to  claim 1 , further comprising a photographing unit disposed on the lower end of the third link, and configured to photograph an image corresponding to a photographing area,
 wherein the photographed image includes the RCM point, a trocar inserted into a patient's incision point, and at least one among a plurality of light-emitting points created by the plurality of light-emitting units.   
     
     
         8 . The single port surgical robot according to  claim 7 , wherein the controller detects at least one among the trocar, the plurality of light-emitting points, and the RCM point from the photographed image, and automatically adjusts the location of the RCM point based on the result of the detection. 
     
     
         9 . The single port surgical robot according to  claim 8 , wherein if the detected light-emitting points are located outside the trocar, the controller adjusts at least one of the x and y coordinates of the RCM point. 
     
     
         10 . The single port surgical robot according to  claim 8 , wherein the controller adjusts the z coordinate of the RCM point, according to the results of comparison between the detected light-emitting points and the locations of the light-emitting units. 
     
     
         11 . A control method of a single port surgical robot, comprising:
 operating a plurality of light-emitting units arranged along the circumference of a cylindrical link, and configured to emit light toward a remote center motion (RCM) point; and   adjusting the location of the RCM point.   
     
     
         12 . The control method according to  claim 11 , further comprising receiving a command for setting a motion mode of a surgical instrument assembly connected to an upper part of the link to a translation mode, from a first manipulation unit. 
     
     
         13 . The control method according to  claim 12 , wherein the adjusting of the location of the RCM point comprises translating the surgical instrument assembly according to a command input through a second manipulation unit, to thus adjust the location of the RCM point, the second manipulation unit including a force/torque (F/T) sensor for sensing a force applied by an operator. 
     
     
         14 . The control method according to  claim 11 , further comprising photographing an image corresponding to a photographing area using a photographing unit disposed on the lower end of the link,
 wherein the photographed image includes at least one among the RCM point, a trocar inserted into a patient's incision point, and a plurality of light-emitting points created by the plurality of light-emitting units.   
     
     
         15 . The control method according to  claim 14 , wherein the adjusting of the location of the RCM point comprises:
 detecting at least one among the trocar, the plurality of light-emitting points, and the RCM point from the photographed image; and   automatically adjusting the location of the RCM point based on the results of the detection.   
     
     
         16 . A single port surgical robot comprising:
 a plurality of light-emitting units emitting highly linear beams and configured such that the beams emitted from the plurality of light-emitting units intersect with each other at the RCM point; and   a controller configured to adjust the location of the RCM point.   
     
     
         17 . The single port surgical robot according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a first link connected to a body by a first joint in a direction perpendicular to the body, the first link having a linear structure;   a second link connected to an upper end of the first link by a second joint, the second link having a curved structure; and   a third link connected to an upper end of the second link by a third joint, the third link having a cylindrical structure,   wherein the plurality of light-emitting units are arranged on a lower end of the third link along the circumference of the third link.   
     
     
         18 . The single port surgical robot according to  claim 16 , further comprising a manipulation unit,
 wherein the manipulation unit is configured to adjust the location of the RCM point based on a command input by an operator.   
     
     
         19 . The single port surgical robot according to  claim 16 , further comprising a photographing unit configured to photograph an image corresponding to a photographing area,
 wherein the photographed image includes the RCM point, a trocar inserted into a patient's incision point, and at least one among a plurality of light points created by the plurality of light-emitting units.   
     
     
         20 . The single port surgical robot according to  claim 19 , wherein the controller detects at least one among the trocar, the plurality of light-emitting points, and the RCM point from the photographed image, and automatically adjusts the location of the RCM point based on the result of the detection.